As we will soon wave goodbye to the lighter evening and welcome in the cosy winter nights, it is important to keep routine for your children wherever possible. Having consistent and clear boundaries during your bedtime routine is essential when the clocks change. Getting your kids to keep a bedtime routine can often be a difficult task especially if they are filled with energy after an exciting day. What works for one family might not work for another, but we know that it is important to share ideas so hopefully, some of these top tips work for your family.
Invest in good beds
If your child loves their bed and the idea of bedtime then they are a lot more likely to get into bed each night and drift off. Whether it is a mid sleeper, in the style of a race car or princess bed or a bunk bed to share with siblings, knowing your kids want to go to bed is often half the battle.
Talk to them and find out what they’d love in their bedroom, it might be as simple as minion-themed bedding or an exciting shadow lamp to engage them to sleep.
Keep to what you know
Having consistent and clear boundaries during your bedtime routine is essential when the clocks change. Lack of setting limits at bedtime can lead to delayed bedtimes and bedtime battles. Often when the clocks change in the autumn and winter months kids find themselves falling asleep earlier than needed which causes havoc on a morning. Once your kids get used to the idea it will just become second nature and bedtimes will get easier.
Don’t change anything just because the clocks have changed. It is important to stick to the routine you already have like clockwork. Homework, tea, bath, story time and lights out all need to continue at the same time. Not only will this give you a bit of time in the evening but it will also ensure your little ones get the amount of sleep that they need before another busy day ahead.
Have quiet time
Whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour, give your children some quiet time before getting into bed. This means no TV or electrical devices, rather they can spend time in their bedroom reading, playing or taking some time out. It’s important that they let their brain wind down and understand that they will be getting into bed soon. It might even be worth making sure they’re in bed when winding down to get them used to the idea of bed or having a comfy chair to lounge in.
This doesn’t mean you say night without a bedtime story, it just helps them calm down after a busy day of school or nursery.